IMcoMET Fights Skin Cancer With Micro 3D Printing

Rotterdam-based startup IMcoMET works in the medical sector, specializing in the development of solutions to fight cancer, particularly skin cancer. To do this, the company extracts interstitial fluid, filled with biomarkers, from the skin in a localized manner, to study it and improve dermatological diagnosis. The aim is to advance biomedical research and provide personalized solutions. Furthermore, to achieve this goal, the start-up relies on 3D printing, and more specifically on microprinting solutions from American manufacturer Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF). Thanks to BMF’s 3D printers, IMcoMET is able to develop microneedle technology, enabling it to extract this famous liquid in a precise, localized manner.

The majority of analyses carried out on the human body are performed using blood, involving invasive techniques and results that are often inconclusive due to coagulation. This is why other body fluids are of interest, notably dermal interstitial fluid. This is a fluid that circulates between tissue cells and incorporates numerous biomarkers. Most of the time, the fluid is extracted using microneedles. And there are many different types of microneedles on the market – for example hollow and porous, among others.

IMcoMet’s patented technology in action

However, one of the challenges associated with this method is the volume of liquid extracted: most of these microneedles, which are inserted directly into the skin, do not provide a sufficient quantity. This means that numerous needles are required to achieve the desired volume, which is not the easiest or most pleasant method. That’s where startup IMcoMET comes in: the aim was to develop a precise, minimally invasive device that could extract enough fluid in one go, doing so in a highly localized manner.